Lynne Olson is the New York Times bestselling author of Last Hope Island: Britain, Occupied Europe, and the Brotherhood That Helped Turn the Tide of War; Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America’s Fight Over World War II, 1939–1941; and Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour. Among her five other books is Troublesome Young Men: The Rebels Who Brought Churchill to Power and Helped Save England. Lynne Olson lives with her husband in Washington, D.C.
“A hell of a yarn . . . Why the heck have we never heard
of [Marie-Madeleine] Fourcade? The only woman to lead a major
French resistance network. A woman who in later life was elected to
the European Parliament. And who, upon her death in 1989 at the age
of seventy-nine, became the first woman to be granted a funeral at
Les Invalides, the complex in central Paris where Napoleon
Bonaparte and other French military heroes are buried. Olson
posits a few possible reasons for Fourcade’s relegation to the
footnotes of history. The inescapable one, though, circles back to
where we began: her gender.”—The Washington Post
“Lynne Olson is a gifted author and her books about the Allies in
World War II are carefully researched and compulsively readable. .
. . Thankfully, a new generation of writers is expanding our
knowledge of individuals whose roles in World War II deserve more
attention.”—The Christian Science Monitor
“In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson tells one of the
great stories of the French Resistance, a story of one woman’s
courage amid great danger, a story of heroism, defiance, and,
ultimately, victory.”—Alan Furst, author of A Hero of
France
“Lynne Olson has added yet another brilliant chapter to her vital
historical project: documenting the extraordinary efforts of
individuals, such as spymaster Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who helped
liberate twentieth-century Europe from Nazi occupation. Much like
Madame Fourcade herself, Olson goes to great lengths to unearth
truth and preserve dignity for those who lived and died during
Hitler’s reign of terror—and for that, both the author and her
daring subject deserve high praise.”—Former Secretary of State
Madeleine K. Albright
“The organizational genius of Fourcade shines through tales of her
cat-and-mouse game with the Gestapo, including multiple daring
escapes from Nazi captivity. As well researched and engrossing as
her previous books, showcasing her adroit ability to weave personal
narratives, political intrigue, and wartime developments to tell a
riveting story, Olson's latest is highly recommended to readers
interested in World War II, the history of espionage, women's
history, and European history.”—Library Journal (starred
review)
“A brilliant, cinematic biography of resistance leader
Marie-Madeleine Fourcade . . . Olson’s weaving of Fourcade’s diary
artfully and liberally into her own writing and her heart-stopping
descriptions of Paris, escapes, and internecine warring create a
narrative that’s as dramatic as a novel or a film. Olson honors
Fourcade’s fight for freedom and her ‘refusal to be silenced’ with
a gripping narrative that will thrill WWII history
buffs.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Incredibly absorbing and long-overdue . . . This masterfully
told true story reads like fiction and will appeal to readers who
devour WWII thrillers à la Kristen Hannah’s The
Nightingale.”—Booklist (starred review)
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